- Suneil Anand, son of Dev Anand, died at age 70 in the UK on Tuesday
- He debuted as an actor in 1984 with Anand Aur Anand, directed by Dev Anand
- Suneil managed Dev Anand's schedule and Navketan Films for over 40 years
Hindi cinema legend Dev Anand and actor Kalpana Kartik's son, filmmaker and actor Suneil Anand, died on Tuesday in the UK, his niece Gina Narang said in a statement shared by the family. He was 70.
Suneil Anand suffered a heart attack in London while travelling to India from the US via the UK.
He was admitted to a hospital after suffering a heart attack. Following an initial assessment, doctors planned to perform a stent procedure. However, before the procedure could take place, he suffered a second heart attack. Despite the medical team's best efforts, he could not be revived and died. Coincidentally, he breathed his last at the same hospital where his father, Dev Anand, had died years earlier.
Suneil Anand made his acting debut in 1984 with Anand Aur Anand, which was directed by Dev Anand. He also starred in films such as Car Thief, Main Tere Liye and Master.
"With heavy hearts, our family mourns the passing of Suneil Anand. We are comforted by the outpouring of love, prayers, and support, for which we are truly grateful. We kindly request privacy as we navigate this difficult time together," his niece Gina Narang said in the statement.
Suneil Anand had turned 70 on June 30.
Ahead of Dev Anand's birth centenary on September 26, 2023, Suneil Anand said he spent 40 years of his life just being with his father, taking care of his well-being, his schedule and their family banner Navketan Films.
"I even coordinated taking our classic movie Guide to the Cannes Film Festival in 2008. It was the first Indian classic to be selected by the Cannes committee to be showcased at the festival. It was a major milestone for dad, for us, Navketan and India," he said.
At the time, Suneil Anand remembered his father as a "well-read and well-informed man".
"He could converse on any topic with anyone in any crowd. He was as at ease with the man on the street as he was with royalty. He was very humble. It is difficult to be humble when you are such a big star. He was the best of both worlds," he had said.
As a filmmaker, Suneil Anand had revealed his plans of working on a film dedicated to his father.
"It's a huge movie dedicated to my father. I am producing and directing. The show goes on. I will continue to take my father's legacy forward," he had said.